Improvement in ladders



A. P. SMITH.

l Ladders.

Patentedv Dec. 30,1873.

'S PROCES] UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. N N

ANTHONY PRESTON SMITH, 0F SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.146,029,dated December30,1873; application filed October 28, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY P. SMITH, of Sacramento city and county,State of California, have invented an Improved Ladder; and I do herebydeclare thefollowing description and accompanying drawings aresufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to whichit most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention orimprovement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to certain improvements in ladders; and it consistsmainly in so strengthening the side rails by means of wireslongitudinally placed and strained tight, as well as by transverseuniting-rods, that the material ordinarily employed in the construetionof the ladder may be much reduced in size, and made so much lighter thatvery long ladders can be very easily handled, and are perfectly safe. v

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my ladder.

. Fig. 2 is a back View. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section. Fig.4 is an enlarged view of one end of a side rail. Fig. 5 is a section ofone of the ends.

A A are the side rails of my ladder, the steps or rounds B being securedfrom one to the other, as in the ordinary method of making ladders. Theside rails A are much reduced in size; and, in order to strengthen them,I

employ stout wires, preferably of steel, which extend from one end tothe other of the rails. The wires c c, which extend along the back orlower part of the rails, are let into the wood, and edge bolts d serveto secure the wires at suitable intervals. These edge bolts pass throughthe rail from back to front. At each end of the rail A are stout platesc; and the wires c pass into the rail, as shown, a few inches from theend, so that they will pass through the plates e. At one end, the wiresare headed down after passing through the plate, but at the other end ascrew-thread is out, and a nut, f, serves to draw the rod br wire astight as may be desired. Other rods or wires, t', are also let into thesides of the rails A 5 and these wires also enter the rails, so as topass through the plate e. The riveted heads of these wires are made uponthe saine ends with the nuts of the other set, c, while the nuts for thewires will be placed at the end where the wires c. are riveted.`Tie-rods g clasp the wires t', and pass across the ladder through therounds B, an eye being made at one end, while a nut, h, at the otherend,serves to tighten them up, and, at the same time, holds the other wire.

The nuts and eyes are placed alternately upon each side of the ladder,as shown, and, in the case of a step-ladder, the rods will pass beneaththe steps. These rods or wires c c will ordinarily be drawn so tight asto b'ow the ladder, so that its upper side will be more or less convex,the weight placed upon it tending to straighten it somewhat.

By this construction, I am enabled to make a ladder strong and light,and one which will be especially valuable in trimming trees or gatheringfruit, or when any long and light ladder would be useful.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Iatent, is

The rods c c, with or without the rods t' i, screw-bolts d, plates e,and screw-nuts f, in combination with the rails A and rounds B of aladder, when constructed and operating substantially as and for thevpurpose set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

ANTHONY PREsToN sMIrH. [n s] Witnesses:

JOHN L. BOONE, C. M. RICHARDSON.

